


A Touch of Winter

by Rekall



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-02
Updated: 2014-07-02
Packaged: 2018-02-07 02:16:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1881312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rekall/pseuds/Rekall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The hunt for the Winter Soldier takes Sam and Steve to Russia where they investigate an abandoned HYDRA building. The place however isn't as abandoned as it seems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Touch of Winter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Minim Calibre (minim_calibre)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/minim_calibre/gifts).



Most days Sam didn't mind giving up his normal life to follow Steve. Sure he had given up a steady job where he could help people, but there was no way he could down the opportunity to help Captain America. It was like a childhood dream come true.

Then there were the days when Sam wondered what the hell he was doing. Today was one of those days. There was just something about a cold, Russian winter which made Sam want to run home and resume his normal life. Currently even that didn't sound ideal as packing up and moving to Florida. Sam was so cold he wasn't sure if he was ever going to be warm again.

"I still think we should have tried harder to convince Natasha to come with us," Sam said as he stared out the window of the taxi. Despite the weather there was still plenty of people out. Sam wasn't sure how they managed with the constant cold. 

"Natasha's done more than enough to help."

"Natasha knows the language though. We ran into enough problems last time."

It was not their first trip to Russia since Natasha had given them the folder containing what she had found out about Bucky. After leaving Washington, Russia had been their first stop but they had left soon afterwards having picked up a trail that lead them to Austria. From there they had gone back to the US to New York City after rumours of a Winter Soldier sighting surfaced. That trip had been a waste of time. Now six months after they first started out they found themselves back in Russia.

"I wonder how you say 'please turn up the heat'," Sam mused as their taxi driver narrowly missed a truck who ran a stop sign. Sam cringed as he gripped the handle of the door. Fighting down a legion of HYDRA troops sounded more appealing than being in the back of the taxi. He wished they had rented a car. It would have been more comfortable than being cramped in the back of a taxi with his wings and Steve's shield.

"We could always get out and walk," Steve suggested, looking way too amused for Sam's taste. 

"You are way too happy over my misery."

"We could even have a race so you don't freeze to death."

"Why run when I can fly?"

"You'll get your chance soon enough," Steve said, changing his tone.

Sam hoped so. Recently he hadn't had the opportunity to fly. There was too much ground work to be done. So far they hadn't found Bucky or had found the people responsible for his transformation into the Winter Soldier. They had busted up several HYDRA rings but none of the people they had gotten information out of knew anything about Bucky. Even within HYDRA it seemed there was only a few who had known about him.

Finally the taxi made it to their destination. Sam was relieved that they arrived in one piece. The bitter cold hit Sam as soon as he exited the taxi. Once again he found himself wishing that they were somewhere warmer. After they finished in Russia, Sam was going to suggest to Steve they take a break and go on vacation somewhere. Surely there had to be some HYDRA base in Australia that needed dealing with.

Their taxi driver was distressed, speaking rapidly in Russian while Steve began handing money to him. As soon as Steve finished paying him, he sped away, his tires squealing as he went.

"What was that all about?" Sam asked as Steve approached him.

"I don't know." Steve stared up at the building in front of him. "He didn't seem to like this place."

"Is that a good sign or bad?"

Steve pulled his shield off his back. "We're about to find out."

Sam knew that look. Steve thought there was more going on than the building just being an abandon HYDRA base. If Steve was concerned, Sam would be as well. 

Extending his wings, Sam took off into the air. He circled the building but he saw no signs of guards or trouble. Maybe the taxi driver had been wrong. It was possible HYDRA had already abandoned the place.

"We're good," Sam said as he landed next Steve.

Steve however wasn't convinced. "Don't let your guard down."

Sam nodded his head. It wouldn't be the first supposedly empty building they had entered to find HYDRA soldiers. Even with all the leaked information from S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury conducting his own personal war against HYDRA there was still plenty of HYDRA agents throughout the world that needed stomping out.

The door was locked but Steve easily killed it in. Sam followed Steve inside; carefully stepping over the broken door. He didn't want to get caught off guard because there was no telling what HYDRA had left behind.

The place was empty but Sam didn't relax. He could tell Steve didn't either. When dealing with HYDRA they both knew to expect anything. As they moved through the building they saw the place didn't look as abandoned as it originally appeared. Although no alarms sounded, new computers were found. Sam also couldn't help but notice that there was no dust on most of the equipment. HYDRA had been using the place until fairly recently.

"Couldn't they have at least paid their heating bill?" Sam complained as they made their way through the building. It was freezing. If Sam closed his eyes, he would have sworn he was still outside.

"I think the heat is on."

"Cheap bastards."

"Only cheap in some areas."

Sam had to admit that was true. Weapons, soldiers and infiltrating all forms of governments around the world would have taken a lot of time and funds. And then there was all the money they had put towards the Winter Soldier project. Sam had read some of the data they had both found and were given by Natasha. HYDRA had spent a small fortune in creating the perfect assassin. 

The main floor of the building revealed nothing important. It didn't take long for them however to find a stairwell that both went up and down. Sam and Steve exchanged a quick look before heading down. The decision paid off. It didn't take much searching to find a once hidden room. While once a secret door concealed the room it was was wide open allowing Sam and Steve to enter with ease.

"Bucky was here," Steve said as he took it all in.

Sam didn't disagree. A weird device sat in the middle of the room. It was a chair of some sort. Likely it was how they brainwashed Bucky. Sam had seen pictures of the thing but this was the first they had ever found. Along the wall was a machine with cylinder tube. It was large enough to easily fit a human inside. Fortunately both looked like they had been used in ages.

"We should find what we need and go," Sam said. He didn't like being in the room. He knew what had happened to Bucky but reading about and looking at old black and white photos were entirely different from having it right in front of him. He couldn't imagine what Steve was feeling. Bucky was his best friend and HYDRA experimented on him like he wasn't even human.

"You don't understand," Steve said, motioning to a file cabinet which had been ransacked. All the doors were opened and various files were dropped carelessly on the floor. "Bucky was here."

Sam frowned. "How can you be sure?"

"I just know it," Steve replied as he bent down and picked up an old photograph from the floor. Sam got a quick glance at it. It was of Bucky with a crude, early version of his metal arm. "Plus check the door again. Someone ripped it opened. No one normal would be able to do it."

Sam left Steve to look at the scattered files while he moved back to the door to search it. Steve was right. On the edge of the door, Sam found marks where fingers dug into the metal to rip it open. It had to be Bucky.

"Let's go," Steve said, moving back over to Sam. "There's nothing left."

Sam wasn't surprised. Bucky had likely taken anything of importance. Whatever secrets the room held had been gone before they even got there.

They headed back to the stairwell and began making their way upwards. There could still be something left in the building that could help them. Some sign to tell them where to go next. If not they would have to come up with a new plan.

They were about to reach the second floor when they heard a noise from above them. They were not alone. Someone was still in the building.

Together they picked up their pace. Sam cursed his luck. The stairwell was too narrow to fly. All he could do was follow Steve as they raced up the stairs and keeping up with Captain America wasn't an easy task.

Above them there was a flash of black clothing and a metal arm. Sam wasn't stupid. He knew who it had to be. He also knew he hadn't been the only one who had noticed.

"Bucky!" Steve yelled but that only caused Bucky to speed up.

There was a bang from a door at the top of the stairwell as Bucky rushed through to the hallway. Sam and Steve hurried their pace but by they reached the hallway of the top floor there was no sign of him.

"Go that way," Steve said as they split up, each taking one direction down the hallway. 

Sam didn't question the orders. He knew Bucky had to be there somewhere. And he knew how much it meant to Steve to find him.

Rounding a corner, Sam began to slow. There were only so many places Bucky could hide. For Sam's own sake he hoped it was Steve the one who found him. The likelihood of Bucky considering Steve friendly was higher than his own. Especially since no one knew just how many of Bucky's memories had returned. Sam didn't want to walk into a trap.

As he made his way around the next corner, Sam found he was not as lucky as he hoped. A door was ripped off at it's hinges. Behind it was more stairs, leading up to the roof. With little options, Sam began the trek up as he hoped Steve would soon catch up.

The bitter cold hit Sam as he reached the roof. For once though he forgot about all the cold as at the edge of the roof was Bucky.

"Bucky!" Sam yelled and they locked eyes as Bucky turned back to look at him. Somehow Sam found the will to remain calm. "I don't want to fight. I want to help you."

There was a hint of recognition in Bucky's eyes but the thing Sam mainly saw was fear mixed with guilt and anger. Sam had a feeling the anger wasn't directed but that didn't stop Bucky from attacking.

Raising his gun, he fired at Sam. As Sam dove out of the way, hitting the hard roof with a thud, he couldn't help but notice that Bucky came no where near close to hitting him. Either something was wrong with him or he was missing on purpose. Sam really hoped it was the latter.

Taking a gamble, Sam rolled back to his feet and charged at Bucky. As he figured, Bucky didn't try to shoot him. Instead he tried shoving Sam away as their bodies collided. Sam however wasn't going to let go without a fight.

"I want to help you," Sam replied as he gripped Bucky's arms. He could feel the metal of the fake left arm and knew there was no way he could hold Bucky still for long.

"You can't help me," Bucky replied as he kicked at Sam's chest. The blow forced Sam to release Bucky as he was knocked down to his knees. "No one can."

Sam however was not only to give up. "Steve believes he can."

Bucky stood in shock at the sound of Steve's name. The fear was back in his eyes, more than ever. Finally he began to speak. "I don't deserve Steve."

"That's not true."

Bucky said nothing. Instead he turned around and without hesitating, jumped from the roof of the building.

"Damnit," Sam swore as as he raced towards the edge, extending his wings. He was so focused on Bucky, he missed the pace of ice until his feet gave out. As he slid over the edge, Sam only barely had time to grab onto the roof with the tips of his fingers.

There was no time for Sam to think. Bracing his feet against the wall of the building, he shoved with all his might, his back arching as he propelled himself away from the building. Now able to freefall safely away from the building, Sam extended his wings to their maximum and glided down to the ground. 

As he landed, he looked around for Bucky but there was no sign of him. There were too many other buildings for him to hide in. Too many cars he could escape in. Too many people to blend in with. Just too many of everything.

Not willing to give up, Sam took to the skies, circling the area, but it was pointless. Bucky had simply disappeared. Sam wasn't too surprised. Over the last few months, the Winter Soldier had proven to be resourceful. He knew ways to stay off the grid. That's one of the reasons why he made it so difficult in tracking him down.

Finally Sam spotted Steve on the roof of the HYDRA building and went to join him.

"I had him," Sam said as he landed next to Steve. "But he got away."

"I'm not surprised," Steve replied. "Bucky always did know how to survive. Did he hurt you?"

Sam shook his head. "He seemed more interested in escaping than fighting."

"Well at least that's one good thing." Steve patted Sam's shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll get him next time."

"What if he doesn't want to be found?" Sam asked. "He remembered you, Steve, but his mind isn't in a good place right now."

"Then that's just something we're going to have to change."

Sam wasn't going to disagree with him. He knew Bucky needed help. The guilt and fear he had seen in Bucky's eyes had told him him everything. Bucky might not have remembered everything of his life but he remembered enough for it to eat away at him. Bucky needed help and they were the best people to give Bucky what he needed.

A quietness grew between them as they stared out at the city. Somewhere out there was Bucky. But finding him was going to have to wait until another day. Sam didn't know what would happen when they finally caught up to him again but he would help in any way he could.


End file.
